Typically, an identity for a user is acquired from a particular service and for a particular purpose. For example, if a user wants to buy something from an on-line auctioning service, the user first establishes an identity with the on-line auction service by applying for user identification and a password with the on-line auctioning system.
A single user may literally have dozens of user identifications and passwords for a variety of services. Each individual user identification and password pair is usually managed by the service to which it is directed and also separately managed by the user for which it is assigned.
The decentralized nature of identity management over the Internet has created a variety of problems. For example, identity theft is a common reported problem. One reason identity theft is so problematic is because of conventional procedures that are used for issuing and consuming personal information. The personal information is used to establish an identity. The procedures are often established by the services, and the services are not adept in identity management; rather the services are skilled in selling their products.
As a result, the users and the enterprises associated with the electronic services are facing mounting issues. A user may have his/her personal information compromised and lose funds, while an enterprise may have its confidential information compromised and lose funds in bogus transactions with malicious users feigning their identities as legitimate users.
Moreover, an identity is generally not temporary and generally not designed to be used for a particular purpose with conventional services. That is, a user provides some of the same personal information for each different service where access is desired. The different services recognize the personal information as the same user. So, personal information is literally being propagated over the Internet on a regular basis and stored in a variety of duplicative locations. The user has no idea and has no assurances that the storage areas are secure. This means the user's personal information, which is used to establish an identity, is available on a nearly permanent basis from a variety of potential locations; and still the user is forced to continually and repetitively use personal information in order to transact over the Internet. So, the problem perpetuates itself.
Accordingly, improved techniques for identity creation, maintenance, and use are desirable.